10 Years BMW 1M: The Story of a Secret Partsbin Project
So this year we’re celebrating the 10 year anniversary of one of the greatest BMW’s of all time, a car that became an instant future classic and almost didn’t happen: yep, we’re talking about the BMW 1 Series M Coupé
The BMW 1 Series M Coupé sprung to life in October of 2009. There wasn’t a lot of budget set aside for fun “what ifs” just shortly after the Great Recession. So the car actually was a secret after hours project deep inside the M skunkworks in München.
The car was codenamed Pyrat after a special spiced rum the engineers were really fond of which is maybe why they chose valencia orange as one of the colors.
A lot of the development happened behind the scenes and mostly during the weekends where the engineers would be free to let their mind go wherever it wanted to take them. Back then it wasn’t so easy to essentially make an all new M car.
They knew that they would never have gotten approval for investing time, money and effort into an all new M model just after the Great Recession had hit. With limited financial support there wasn’t really much room for developing bespoke parts so a lot of pieces were sourced from existing cars and were then checked to see if they fit with the 1 Series chassis.
When they finally had a product worth showing, they waited for the opportunity to put it all together
The boss of "M" went away on a two-week trip, the engineers started putting everything together,
It was like kids doing something while the parents are out. Making them proud of what they accomplished upon return.
Stamp of approval
The car was approved by the board since it didn’t break the bank in development, it had shown its potential and had the added benefit that they could just squeeze the 1M in on the production line in Leipzig where all the other 1 Series were produced. In total, they had settled on building 2.700 units of the 1M.
When shown to the public, opinions were divided at first. According to real M enthusiasts at the time, a proper M car had a naturally aspirated S series engine that is developed by the M department itself. So you can start to see why people were doubtful when BMW M launched a car with a BMW developed N54 which was also turbocharged.
However once people got their hands on the car things started to change. From then on, it was an instant hit and the demand for this car at this price point started to rise massively. So big that the original 2700 units cap was increased up to 6309 units.
But what exactly made the 1M so desirable?
Oddball
The 1M Coupé is a bit of an oddball in the lineup of M cars. In the sense that the car is basically a partsbin.
The engine is borrowed from the Z4 35is which isn’t really all that special for an M car. They did put a custom tune on the car which is why it says “Powered by M” on the engine cover.
The brakes are from the E92 M3 and so is the differential, the rear axle, the Competition wheels and also the wing mirrors.
It basically went on to be this frankenstein M car which somehow worked out as a treat.
The engine is the N54 3.0L twin-turbo straight-six used in half the BMW line-up at the time. In the 1M the car produced a healthy 340 hp and 450 Nm’s of torque which increases quickly to 500 Nm’s thanks to the overboost function.
This results in a 0-100 sprint of just 4.9 seconds and 0-200 of 17.3 seconds. Top speed was claimed to be a very German limited 250 km/h. Although a few owners have claimed that BMW actually forgot to limit the car.
Further changes were reworked fascia and most noticeably, those arches. With all the M3 chassis upgrades the car width was increased by 44 mm at the back and a massive 71 mm at the front in comparison to the 135i. The car already looks muscular and fast even when it’s sitting stil.
Limited things to choose
When it was new the 1M was presented with limited options, no unnecessary gizmos.
There were only 3 colors available as you’re seeing here: Alpine White, Saphire Black and Valencia Orange. A handful were painted individual for special customers at a 25.000€ premium.
The main reason for this is that there wasn’t the option to spray Individual paints in Leipzig so the cars had to be taken off the production line, sent to Munich, be painted there and return to the production line in Leipzig
Inside there were a few options available. One of the more popular options were Harman Kardon and iDrive as you can see here. Some cars had a minimal of options and were commonly referred to as “Stripper” specs like this one here. No navigation, no armrest, not even cupholders. It’s purely bought for driving fun without any unnecessary bells and whistles.
However, one thing you couldn’t choose was the interior trim: each and every single one of them was finished in black leather and valencia orange stitching with some alcantara trim pieces.
Celebrating the creation of an icon
But what really made the 1M into the car it is today is that it was a return to the classic E30 M3 ethos. BMW engineers actually took out the old E30 M3 out to recapture the spirit of the original M3 and the reaction of the public spoke for itself. It was a clear sign that this is what BMW M is all about and what it should be making.
And you can really feel the fruits from that insight into the development. From the aggressive boxy looks to the communicative short wheelbase chassis to the ludicrous torque wave hitting you each time you hit the gas pedal. It’s THE modern drivers car and considering the volumes they made of them, it’s no wonder they’re so sought after.
So today, to celebrate the 1M’s birthday, we’ve gathered a few owners together in honor of this partsbin special.
Of course in 10 years, it’ll change owners or owners will change the car to their liking
Experiences get created and in their own way become unique.
Like Ludo’s car for example, he’s done over 140 laps on the Nurburgring with it. An amazing achievement for durability but most of all all the memories created over the multiple trips to the track, getting to meet different people and enjoying the car to the fullest.
This one here has been modified with a different exhaust according to the owner’s liking. It’s what makes cars even more special than they already are.
After 10 years most cars really start to look dated but time has been kind on the 1M really. It’s a fabulous car which to this day still is such a sought after car. So with that we’re saying happy birthday to future classic. Here’s to the next 10 years.
